Tuesday, May 3, 2011

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Everything Barbie: The suite at the the luxury Hotel Plaza Athenee in Paris which will be available in August

You might not fancy staying here - but your children definitely will.

Hotels are offering rooms in the theme of toys and cartoon characters to lure in parents by working the pester power of their children.

Entire suites are being decked out in the style of Barbie and Shrek right down to the bathroom fittings and pillow cases to completely immerse guests in a world of fantasy.

Vroom with a view: In addition to the two Barbie-themed rooms, the Hotel Plaza Athenee in Paris also worked with Mattel to create a Hot Wheels room.

The latest to sign up are hoteliers Gaylord who have done a deal with DreamWorks Animation for Shrek and Kung Fu Panda’s Po.

Families who stay with Gaylord will see nothing but cartoon-themed design during their stay and face the prospect of life-sized models of the characters appearing at meal times too.

The aim is to get customers to pay more - in some cases 50% extra - for the privilege of staying in such a room.

All dolled up: At the amazing Barbie Suite in the Fantasy Towers at the Palms Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas the famous doll is everywhere

Gaylord chief executive Colin Reed told USA Today: ‘If you look at all these reality shows on TV, this stuff is fantasy.

‘People like to put themselves mentally and emotionally in different places. This is what we can offer folks.’

In Paris, the luxury Hotel Plaza Athenee has two special Barbie themed rooms for the month of August which are entirely in pink and white - Barbie’s colours.

Style icon: The Palms suite offers a luxurious tribute to the world's most enduring doll

Her fans can choose from the ‘Modern Princess’ room with a pet grooming table and royal linens, or the ‘Fashion Icon’ room with designer furniture and a computer.

In both the pillows have Barbie hearts on them, the desk is embossed with her logo and there are Barbie dolls strategically scattered around in case you forget where you are.

There is no place, sadly, for Ken, who doesn’t get his own room. But it has worked with toy maker Mattel to create Hot Wheels room.

A similar suite has been created by Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas which turned a 2,350 square foot studio into a world of Barbie.

Barbie, Warhol-style: Images of the blonde one adorn the walls of the Vegas suite

For a mere $4,000 a night (plus taxes) you can enjoy a spacious suite decked out entirely in the Barbie Loves Jonathan Adler home decor collection and they feature a sunburst-style mirror made from 65 reproduction 1959 Black & White Bathing Suit Barbie dolls.

The Barbie rooms were built after Marriott’s Spongebob Square Pants style room, although the hotel chain did not carry out such extensive redecorating.

The trend has been so far confined to children save the famous Berkeley Hotel in London which was offering a Sex & the City themed room.

In the style of Carrie Bradshaw’s closet, the suite contains a trunk full of designer clothes which women can pay a premium to wear out on the town.